Cheese Souffle

There you go, folks. My very first souffle.

It was yummy. Nathan liked it. I liked it. Noah liked it. I'd say that it was an all-around hit. What I didn't know was how smooth the texture would be. I'd say it's a little foamy, except that I wouldn't really want to eat something if someone described it as "foamy." It just isn't an appetizing term. So forget I said that. Instead, let me describe it as extraordinarily light and creamy. There you go, that's better. (And more accurate, I might add.)

The flavor was great, too. Nathan described it as quiche-like. It definitely had the egg-and-cheese flavor of a quiche, but it was nicer to eat because the texture was not as dense. And since it is made with a bechamel sauce, which is pretty much a roux with milk added (don't let the French words throw you off--it's easy), it is richer than quiche. My favorite aspects of eating the souffle were the creaminess of the middle and the salty, more intense flavor of the crust that formed on the outside (since you butter the dish and line it with Parmesan, I don't know how the crust could taste anything but delicious).

As for my technique, you may have noticed a couple of things in the photo: 1.) the souffle isn't too brown--I did put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes after I took this picture in order to let it brown and set a bit more. 2.) It isn't even on top--I think I didn't fold the egg whites thoroughly enough (I was afraid I'd overstir, resulting in a flat souffle), so the whole thing rose unevenly. However, both of those mistakes are easy to correct for next time.

I'm posting my recipe for this souffle below. I adapted it from The Joy of Cooking (the only thing I really changed was the type of cheese). Basically, the heart of the souffle is the technique of folding whipped egg whites into the custardy mixture in order to make it rise--all the air you whip into the egg whites is what gives the souffle its characteristic puff.

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Cheese Souffle

1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk (I used whole milk)
dash of ground nutmeg
5 Tbsp. grated Cotswald cheese* or other strong Cheddar
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
4 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350. Generously butter a 6-cup souffle dish (I used a Corningware casserole dish--just make sure your dish has straight, vertical sides) or four 8-oz. ramekins. Dust the insides with the Parmesan cheese. Shake out the excess.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth, about a minute or two. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Return the pan to heat and bring to a simmer, whisking continually to avoid lumps. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes more. Whisk in a dash of nutmeg. Bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 seconds, then whisk in the Cheddar and Parmesan. Add salt to taste (I started with 1/4 tsp. and added more until it tasted flavorful enough for me). Add yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry, and fold them into the cheese mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or ramekins. Bake 25-30 minutes, until risen and set. You know it's done when the crust is golden, or when you touch the top lightly with your hand and it feels firm with a slight wobble in the middle.

*Cotswald cheese is not widely available, but I had it on hand. It's a strongly flavored Cheddar from England that has chives in it. You could substitute just about any cheese you like, but I would choose one with a robust flavor.